Anigozanthos hybrid plant named ‘Ramboball’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Anigozanthos  hybrid plant named ‘Ramboball’, characterized by its medium red-colored flowers with a small to medium sized perianth tube, short to medium plant height with an upright growth habit, large number of infloresecences per plant, an almost continuous natural flowering season, medium degree of reflexing of perianth lobes on a mature flower, short flowering stem length and tolerance to alternaria and rust diseases.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Anigozanthos hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Ramboball’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial variety ofAnigozanthos hybrid, which has been given the variety denomination of‘Ramboball’. Its market class is that of an ornamental plant.‘Ramboball’ is intended for use in landscaping and as a decorativeplant.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inTuggerah, New South Wales, Australia during October 2002. The newAnigozanthos hybrid cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. Thefemale (seed) parent of the new cultivar is an unnamed proprietaryAnigozanthos hybrid breeding selection, not patented, characterized byits medium number of inflorescences produced per plant and a mediumlength of flowering season. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivaris an unnamed proprietary Anigozanthos hybrid breeding selection, notpatented, characterized by its medium number of inflorescences producedper plant and a medium length of flowering season. The new cultivar wasdiscovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the above stated cross-pollination during March 2006 in a controlledenvironment at Tuggerah, New South Wales, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by in vitro propagation ofmicro-plants since June 2006 at Tuggerah, New South Wales, Australia hasdemonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all ofthe characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retainedthrough successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Ramboball’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Anigozanthos hybrid plant:

-   -   1. Medium red-colored flowers with a small to medium sized        perianth tube;    -   2. Short to medium plant height with an upright growth habit;    -   3. Large number of infloresecences per plant;    -   4. An almost continuous natural flowering season;    -   5. Medium degree of reflexing of perianth lobes on a mature        flower;    -   6. Short flowering stem length; and    -   7. Tolerance to alternaria and rust diseases.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the unnamed proprietaryAnigozanthos hybrid breeding selection female and male parents primarilyin having a greater number of infloresecences and a longer naturalflowering season.

Of the many commercially available Anigozanthos hybrid cultivars, themost similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Bush Ranger’, U.S.Plant Pat. No. 6,478. However, in side by side comparisons, plants ofthe new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Bush Ranger’ in at least thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a larger number of        infloresecences per plant than plants of ‘Bush Ranger’; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a greater degree of reflexing        of perianth lobes on a mature flower than plants of ‘Bush        Ranger’; and    -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have a shorter perianth tube        length than plants of ‘Bush Ranger’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Ramboball’.

FIG. 1 illustrates a ‘Ramboball’ plant in a 14 cm pot grown forapproximately 20 weeks in an outdoor environment showing of large numberof inflorescences.

FIG. 2 illustrates a ‘Ramboball’ plant in a 14 cm pot and 10 cm potgrown for approximately 16 weeks in an outdoor environment showinginflorescence habit and upright plant growth habit

FIG. 3 illustrates a ‘Ramboball’ inflorescence detail including tertiarybranching.

FIG. 4 illustrates ‘Ramboball’ flowers within the inflorescence showingflower and hair detail including medium reflexing of perianth lobes.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed botanical description of a new and distinctvariety of an Anigozanthos hybrid ornamental plant known as ‘Ramboball’.Plant observations were made on plants grown in Tuggerah, New SouthWales, Australia. Unless indicated otherwise, the descriptions disclosedherein are based upon observations made from May 2008 of mature‘Ramboball’ plants grown in nursery pots in greenhouse and outdoorgrowing areas with day temperature ranging from 25° C. to 27° C., nighttemperatures ranging from 6° C. to 8° C., and light levels ranging from6 to 8 klux. Plants were grown for about 24 weeks with one plant per 20cm container. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certaincharacteristics will vary with older or, conversely, younger plants.‘Ramboball’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristicsare given, it is to be understood that such characteristics areapproximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. Thephenotype of the variety may vary with variations in the environmentsuch as season, temperature, light quality, light intensity, day length,cultural conditions and the like. Color notations are based on The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, of The Royal Horticultural Society,London, 2007 edition.

-   Botanical classification: Anigozanthos hybrid cultivar Ramboball.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed proprietary Anigozanthos hybrid            breeding selection.        -   Male parent.—Unnamed proprietary Anigozanthos hybrid            breeding selection.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—In vitro propagation of micro-plants.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 7 to 10 days at a            temperature of approximately 25° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at a            temperature of approximately 15° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 45 to 60            days at a temperature of approximately 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 55 to 70            days at a temperature of approximately 15° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, freely branching and white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Inverted triangle; compact, upright            and outwardly spreading plant habit with tertiary branched            flowering stems with predominately medium red-colored            flowers. Moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—Average plant height including the            inflorescence is about 50 cm (range 45 to 60 cm). Average            height of foliage only is about 26 cm (range 23 to 30 cm).        -   Plant diameter.—Average plant spread of a mature plant grown            in 30 cm nursery pots or field plots in Tuggerah, New South            Wales, Australia is about 75 cm (observed summer 2007            through 2008).        -   Lateral branch.—Quantity per plant: About 25. Strength:            Strong. Diameter: About 1.8 cm. Length of central internode:            About 4 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 145B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—The leaf attitude is erect to            semi-erect and the degree of leaf curvature is slightly            curved. Arrangement: Alternate equitant, simple; sessile.        -   Leaves.—Length: About 18 to 22 cm in a 30 cm pot. Width:            About 9 to 12 mm in a 30 cm pot. Shape: Linear to slightly            falcate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cauline. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; very            weak glaucosity and pubescence on leaf margin is very            sparse. Venation pattern: Parallel. Color of the upper and            lower surfaces: 146A with indistinguishable venation.-   Flower description:    -   -   General description.—Flowers arranged singly on terminal and            axillary racemes. Flowers with tubular perianth;            zygomorphic. Terminal flowers are held upright and attitude            of flowers gradually changes to a horizontal position            proximally. The proximal flowers are the first to open and            usually are the only flowers to express perianth lobe            reflexure. Flowers not fragrant. Flowers persistent. Length            of the lowest inflorescence branch including raceme: About            15 to 20 cm. Number of flowers per inflorescence: About 3 to            4 racemes per inflorescence, each with 10 to 13 flowers            greater in length than 3 mm in a 30 cm pot (observed summer            2007 through 2008). Inflorescence height: About 40 to 45 cm.            Inflorescence diameter: About 14 to 15 cm. Flower diameter:            About 7 mm measured at the base of the lobes and about 2.5            cm across the lobes on an opened flower. Flower height:            About 7 mm measured at the base of the lobes and about 20 mm            across the lobes on an opened flower.        -   Natural flowering season.—‘Ramboball’ has a long, almost            continuous flowering season under outdoor growing            conditions.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Tubular. Length: About 3 cm.            Width: About 7 mm. Texture: Tomentose. Color: 146A with            dense pubescence colored 59B.        -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Fused elongated tube with six medium            reflexed acute lobes; split on lower surface. Appearance:            Flare distally. Perianth tube length: 20 to 25 mm. Perianth            tube diameter: About 7 mm measured at the base of the lobes.            Lobe length: About 8 to 9 mm. Lobe width: About 3 mm at            base. Texture, outer surface of perianth tube: Tomentose.            Texture, inner surface of perianth tube: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: When opening and fully opened, outer surface of            perianth tube: 59B. When opening and fully opened, inner            surface of perianth tube: 146D. When fully opened, inner            surface of perianth lobe 191B.        -   Floral bracts.—Length: Up to 13 cm at stem base and            decreasing length to about 2 cm at base of raceme and then            10 to 12 mm for new flowers. Width: Up to 10 mm at stem base            and decreasing width to about 4 mm at base of raceme and            then 2 to 3 mm for new flowers. Shape: Ensiform tapering to            a narrow conduplicate form at the apex. Apex: Narrow acute.            Base: Clasping. Margin: Entire with pubescence color 59B.            Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower            surface: Tomentose. Color, upper surface: 146A. Color, lower            surface: 146A, anthocyanin coloration may be present.        -   Peduncle (flowering stems).—Strength: Strong. Aspect:            Upright. Length: About 40 to 45 cm. Diameter at base: About            7.0 mm. Texture: Tomentose. Color of surface: 146B with            pubescence color 59B. Color of hairs at junction with floral            bracts 59B.        -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 5 mm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: Distally appressed to flowering            stems, then about 30° to 45° from flowering stems proximally            with the largest, most mature flowers. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Tomentose. Color: 146B. Pubescence color: 59B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: 6 per flower. Anther            shape: Oblong. Anther size: About 1 mm by 2.5 mm. Anther            color: 12A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 12A.            Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About            30 mm. The position of the stigma in relation to the anthers            is above. Style length: About 26 mm. Style color: 145A.            Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 144A. Ovary color: 144A            with dense pubescence covering colored 59B.-   Seed and fruit production: Seed and fruit development have not been    observed on plants of the new Anigozanthos.-   Environmental tolerances: ‘Ramboball’ plants have exhibited good    tolerance to rain and wind and to tolerate temperatures from 1 to    about 40° C. ‘Ramboball’ has moderate to good drought tolerance.    ‘Ramboball’ has moderate to good recovery with watering after severe    wilting. ‘Ramboball’ does well in sandy and gravelly soils.-   Disease resistance: ‘Ramboball’ has been observed to be tolerant to    alternaria and rust diseases compared to other Anigozanthos    varieties.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Anigozanthos hybrid plant named‘Ramboball’, substantially as herein shown and described.